1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cosmetic case assembly of the type in which a sub-case can be easily installed to or detached from a main case, and in which each of the aforesaid cases is equipped with a cover which can be easily opened and closed as a means of allowing convenient access to the cosmetic material contained therein, and as further means of preserving the contained cosmetic material in a desirable and usable condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cosmetic cases are generally employed as convenient portable containers for carrying personal-use cosmetic substances. These cases consist of a container body in which a cosmetic substance is held, and an openable cover installed to the case as means of allowing access to the cosmetic material as well as means of sealing the internal case area when the cosmetic material contained therein is not being used. A latch mechanism is employed to keep the cover closed, and can be activated to open the cover when desired.
Recently, cosmetic cases are appearing in which an outer case, appropriately decorated to provide a pleasing external appearance, is structured so as to contain a separate refill case which is employed to hold the cosmetic material. The outer case is often made from expensive materials, designed to provide a beautiful and elegant appearance, and decorated in a pleasing fashion. The refill case contained therein, however, is specifically designed to be functional in regard to holding, preserving, and allowing access to the cosmetic material contained therein, and to be easily detached from and installed within the aforesaid outer case. The aforesaid outer case and refill case are often sold as separate items, thus allowing the purchaser to use the same cosmetic case to carry various types of cosmetics as dictated by personal preference, and to conveniently replace consumed cosmetics, in the form of these refill cases, without the need to buy a new outer cosmetic case.
The aforesaid refill cases, particularly when used together with relatively expensive outer cases, are often constructed similarly to conventional cosmetic cases in that a hinged cover is also installed to the refill case. The use of a hinged cover refill case, however, demands that the user open the outer case cover and refill case cover in multiple sequential operations that are, in many cases, clumsy and inconvenient.
Moreover, a cosmetic case offering the installation and removal of separate refill cases can be significantly improved through a structure which makes it easier and more convenient to both install and remove said refill cases. Furthermore, a preferable structure for this type of cosmetic case would also include a mechanism which eliminates the need to open the outer case and refill case covers as separate sequential operations.
Considering the design of the cosmetic case from a different point of view, it must also be taken into account that many recently developed cosmetic materials utilize water or oil components as solvents which are susceptible to evaporation. These types of cosmetics are becoming increasingly prevalent.
As solvent-based cosmetics are subject to relatively rapid evaporation, the cosmetic cases used to hold them must offer means of preventing evaporation by efficiently sealing the internal area of the case.
Even if a cosmetic case provides an efficient sealing effect for the substance contained therein, the condensation of solvents contained within the sealed cosmetic material can result in condensate droplets collecting on the surface of the cosmetic material and degrading the quality of said material.
The following inventions have been proposed as means of alleviating the problems mentioned above. Japanese patent unexamined publication No.9-37839 proposes various means of improving the sealing efficiency between a cosmetic case with an open and closable cover. Japanese unexamined patent publications Nos.8-347 and 9-37838 propose the installation of an inner cover between the cosmetic case and outer cover, said inner cover being utilized to seal the cosmetic case. In regard to a cosmetic case of the type which can contain a detachable refill case, Japanese unexamined patent publications Nos.9-65920 and 9-98829 propose a cosmetic case with detachable refill case whereby the refill case is specifically structured to hold a cosmetic material containing an evaporable solvent.
Refill cases have been proposed whereby a freely open and closable inner cover is installed to an inner tray. The areas between said inner tray and inner cover can be sealed, thus allowing the inner tray and cover to be employed as a refill case which is installable to and removable from an outer case. In regard to cosmetic cases applicable for use with evaporable solvent based cosmetic materials, Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-47319 proposes a structure in which an inner tray only, without a cover, can be placed in or removed from an outer case. Japanese unexamined patent publications Nos.8-348 and 9-98828 propose a cosmetic case with a double cover whereby an internal cover is employed between a cosmetic case and external cover. Moreover, Japanese unexamined patent publication No.7-184717 proposes a cosmetic case which provides a condensation prevention effect.
The aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-37839 proposes the use of an elastic packing ring installed to the lower perimeter of the cosmetic container within the outer case, and a protruding part on the inner surface of the cover. When the cover is closed, the aforesaid protruding part is in contact with the aforesaid packing ring at a point below the joint formed between the case and cover. The aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.8-374 provides for an elastic packing ring of U-shaped cross section installed on the upper perimeter of the aforesaid inner tray, and an elastic packing piece installed to the cover, thus forming a structure in which the aforesaid elastic packing ring and packing piece come into mutual contact when the cover is closed. The aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-37838, similar to the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-37839, provides for an elastic packing ring on the lower outer periphery of the cosmetic container, and a ring-shaped protrusion on the inner surface of the inner cover, said ring-shaped protrusion coming into contact with the aforesaid elastic packing ring at a point below the joint between the inner cover and cosmetic container.
In regard to a refill type cosmetic case, the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-65920 mentions an outer case divided into two compartments separated by a wall structure, one of the aforesaid compartments being employed to hold a refill case, and the other as a storage area for a cosmetic application tool. A protrusion on the cover of the refill case fits into a cutout portion provided in the center of the separator wall, said protrusion extending into the space provided for the aforesaid application tool. Similar to the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-65920, the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-98829 mentions a separator wall forming two internal compartments within the cosmetic case. A first joint part is formed between the separator wall and facing surface of the cosmetic case, and a second joint part, capable of detaching from the aforesaid first joint part, is formed on the refill case. The connection formed between the first joint part and second joint part secures the refill case in position.
The cosmetic case proposed by the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-47319 incorporates a separator wall within the case, said wall forming two separate internal compartments, one of said compartments being occupied by the aforesaid inner tray. A joint groove is formed on the lateral periphery of the inner tray. A first joint protrusion, capable of insertion into the aforesaid joint groove, is formed on the inner tray side of the separator wall. Moreover, multiple pairs of fingers are formed as vertical slits at the lower side of the wall surface opposite to the separator wall. A second protrusion capable of inserting into the aforesaid joint groove is also provided. The wall surface between the fingers is formed as a support wall with a lower surface acting as a free surface. The protrusion formed on the support wall presses against inner tray in a direction facing the first joint protrusion.
In the cosmetic case proposed by the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.8-348, an inner cover opening piece, installed either on the cosmetic case or inner cover, is utilized as means of forcibly opening the inner cover. Moreover, the cosmetic case mentioned in the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-98828 employs a first release mechanism as means of releasing a first latch connecting the outer cover to the cosmetic case, and a second release mechanism as means of releasing a second latch connecting the inner cover to the cosmetic case, both of the aforesaid release mechanisms being drivable by single push piece. A single action of the push-piece results in the release of the joints maintained by the aforesaid first and second latches.
The aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.7-184717 proposes the installation of an absorbent material on the inner side of the cosmetic case cover as means of absorbing the condensate produced by an evaporating solvent within the cosmetic material.
The cosmetic case structures put forth by the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publications Nos.9-37839 and 9-37838 require elastic packing rings at the lower periphery of the cosmetic material container, thus necessitating the formation of a recessed channel at the outer periphery of the joint area. As significant space is required for these channels, a cosmetic case made to specific external dimensions would have a smaller opening space than would be otherwise possible, thus decreasing the amount of cosmetic material that could be held in the case. As the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.8-347 calls for a separate inner tray and cover to which separate elastic packing pieces must be installed, the number of components comprising the cosmetic case increases, the structure becomes more complicated, and the assembly operation for the cosmetic case becomes more expensive and time consuming. Moreover, the cosmetic case is relatively inconvenient to use as the outer and inner covers require separate operations to open and close.
As the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.9-98829 requires a first joint at the separator and case wall, and a second joint at the inner tray, a relatively complex structure is required which correspondingly makes the fabrication of tooling, which is required to manufacture the case, more complex and expensive.
Furthermore, while the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.8-348 proposes a push-type mechanism which provides a more convenient opening operation for the inner cover, the inner and outer covers must still be opened by separate operations. Resultantly, there is no significantly improvement in the ease with which the covers can be opened. As the aforesaid Japanese unexamined patent publication No.7-184717 employs a sliding push-piece, space must be provided for the sliding action, a design requirement which reduces the amount of cosmetic material the case can hold in regard to specific external dimensions.